French Almond Nougat

By bakers_delight85

Ingredients

• For the mazetta:
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• For the nougat:
• 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3 1/2 cups whole raw almonds (skin on)
• Vegetable-oil cooking spray

Preparation

Step 1

Begin by making the mazetta. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. In a 1-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. Clip on a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 240 degrees (soft-ball stage), 15 to 20 minutes. Remove sugar syrup from heat. Beating constantly on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue heating for 3 to 4 minutes until syrup is incorporated. Use immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to make the nougat.
Spray an 8-inch-square baking pan with vegetable-oil spray; set aside. In a 2-quart saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar. Clip on candy thermometer. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, 5 to 10 minutes. Wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipped in water to remove any sugar crystals.
Over medium-high heat, cook to 280 degrees (soft-crack stage), 12 to 15 minutes, without stirring. If heat is too high it can boil over, so watch carefully. Remove from heat; let stand for 2 minutes. Without scraping pan, pour syrup over mazetta. Working quickly, stir with a wooden spoon until almost smooth. Stir in butter, vanilla and salt. Mix until butter is incorporated. Stir in nuts. Scrape into prepared pan, and smooth the top; you may spray your hand with vegetable-oil spray and run it over the warm candy to smooth it. Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
Spray a large cutting board generously with vegetable-oil spray. Unmold nougat from pan onto sprayed surface. Cut nougat into 3-by-3/4-inch pieces or other desired shapes. Wrap each piece in cellophane or waxed paper.